'Roma,' 'The Favourite' lead Oscars nominations with 10 each

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AFP
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The Oscars — set for February 24, 2019 — are the climax of Hollywood's awards season. Photo: AFP

Alfonso Cuaron's Roma, an ode to his childhood in 1970s Mexico City, and offbeat royal romp The Favourite on Tuesday topped the Oscar nominations with 10 each, as streaming giant Netflix earned its first-ever best picture nod.

Popular musical romance A Star Is Born and Dick Cheney biopic Vice scooped eight nominations each, while superhero blockbuster Black Panther finished with seven.

The stage is thus set for the 91st Academy Awards in Hollywood on February 24 — with a crowded field of nominees, and perhaps some surprises in store.

For longtime Oscar watcher Sasha Stone, who runs Awards Daily, "all bets are mostly off. Truly anything could win at this rate."

The sweeping success of Roma is history-making for Netflix — not only did it earn its first crack at the gala's top prize, but it also is a major contender in other coveted prizes like best director and best actress.

The black and white film also snatched up nods for best supporting actress and best foreign film.

Alfonso Cuaron scored big with 10 Oscar nominations for "Roma" after his film won two Golden Globes for best director and best foreign language film. Photo: AFP
 

For Cuaron, it was a personal triumph, as he earned four nominations himself.

"We are living a great moment in cinema where diversity is embraced by audiences," Cuaron said in a statement released by Netflix.

That diversity is exemplified by The Favourite, which scored a bit of a surprise with its stellar haul.

While nominations for its trio of stars — Olivia Colman, Emma Stone and Rachel Weisz — were seen as a near-lock, its flight to the top of the list was not.

Director Yorgos Lanthimos earned a nod — instead of Bradley Cooper, who was widely expected to get a nomination for his debut directorial effort on A Star Is Born, the latest take on the classic musical romance.

Star nevertheless scored in most big categories, with nominations for three of the four acting prizes — Cooper, Lady Gaga and their co-star Sam Elliott.

(L-R) Actresses Rachel Weisz, Olivia Colman and Emma Stone have each earned Oscar nominations for their work in "The Favourite" -- which tied with "Roma" for the most nominations at 10. Photo: AFP
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In all, there are eight films vying for best picture: Roma, The Favourite, A Star Is Born, Spike Lee's BlacKkKlansman, Queen biopic Bohemian Rhapsody, satirical Dick Cheney biopic Vice, civil rights dramedy Green Book and Black Panther.

Panther made history as the first superhero flick ever nominated in the category — a major victory for Marvel Studios.

"Thank you @TheAcademy! #WakandaForever," past Oscar winner Lupita Nyong'o, who stars in the film, wrote on Twitter.

Green Book earned five Oscar nominations, after winning best film at the Producers Guild of America awards — seen as a good indicator of Oscars success.

Twenty times out of 29, the PGA award winner has gone on to take the best picture Oscar, including The Shape of Water last year.

Controversy 

Last year, the awards season was marked by the Harvey Weinstein scandal, and the birth of the #MeToo and Time's Up movements against sexual misconduct and harassment in the workplace.

This year, multiple controversies are plaguing the Oscars — none of them related to last year's bombshell.

In August, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences — under fire for being too elitist — announced it would add a "best popular film" award.

"Black Panther" won seven Oscar nominations including a historic best picture nod -- (L-R) director Ryan Coogler along with actors Danai Gurira, Michael B. Jordan and Lupita Nyong'o are seen here at the Golden Globes. Photo: AFP
 

But many saw the new category as a booby prize for blockbusters like Black Panther that would keep them out of contention for top honors.

The plan was quickly scrapped.

Then actor-comedian Kevin Hart had perhaps the briefest tenure ever as Oscars host — a few days. He withdrew after homophobic tweets he had written years ago sparked a backlash on social media.

With many stars reportedly unwilling to grasp the poisoned chalice, the Academy appears to be going forward without a host.

Of course, on Oscars night, the focus will be on the nominees, and the red carpet glamour.

In the best actor category, Christian Bale looks to be the frontrunner for his uncanny portrayal of Cheney in Vice.

Viggo Mortensen (Green Book), Rami Malek (Bohemian Rhapsody) and Cooper (Star) are also contenders, with Willem Dafoe (At Eternity's Gate) rounding out the field as a dark horse.

The major nominations for the 2019 Oscars. Photo: AFP

For best actress, Glenn Close's momentum is soaring after her twin Globe and Critics' Choice wins for The Wife, in which she plays an author whose marriage boils over when her writer husband wins the Nobel Prize.

But Gaga and Colman, who plays Queen Anne in The Favourite, are expected to give her a fight, along with breakout Roma star Yalitza Aparicio and dark horse Melissa McCarthy (Can You Ever Forgive Me?).

In the supporting actor category, Elliott will go head-to-head with Green Book star Mahershala Ali, who took home a Golden Globe. For best supporting actress, Regina King (If Beale Street Could Talk) will battle with Stone and Weisz.

Roma is the presumptive favorite for best foreign language film. It will compete with Capernaum (Lebanon), Cold War (Poland), Never Look Away (Germany) and Shoplifters (Japan).

The following are the nominees for the Academy Awards which will be held on February 24 in Hollywood:

Best picture

Black Panther

BlacKkKlansman

Bohemian Rhapsody

The Favourite

Green Book

Roma

A Star Is Born

Vice

Best director

Alfonso Cuaron (Roma)

Yorgos Lanthimos (The Favourite)

Spike Lee (BlacKkKlansman)

Adam McKay (Vice)

Pawel Pawlikowski (Cold War)

Best actor

Christian Bale (Vice)

Bradley Cooper (A Star Is Born)

Willem Dafoe (At Eternity's Gate)

Rami Malek (Bohemian Rhapsody)

Viggo Mortensen (Green Book)

Best actress

Yalitza Aparicio (Roma)

Glenn Close (The Wife)

Olivia Colman (The Favourite)

Lady Gaga (A Star Is Born)

Melissa McCarthy (Can You Ever Forgive Me?)

Best Supporting Actor

Mahershala Ali (Green Book)

Adam Driver (BlacKkKlansman)

Sam Elliott (A Star Is Born)

Richard E. Grant (Can You Ever Forgive Me?)

Sam Rockwell (Vice)

Best Supporting Actress

Amy Adams (Vice)

Marina de Tavira (Roma)

Regina King (If Beale Street Could Talk)

Emma Stone (The Favourite)

Rachel Weisz (The Favourite)